Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

‎04-12-201816:52 - edited ‎04-12-201816:54

The original Superhub broadcasts only one frequency at a time - you select the one you want it to emit in its settings. All later VM hubs broadcast both frequencies SIMULTANEOUSLY. We have assumed (as you havent said differently) that you have a Hub3. You choose which one each device can connect to or the device does it for you. If your device is 2.4 only - its choice is rather simple.

Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

‎05-12-201811:29 - edited ‎05-12-201811:31

Yes, the router is the Hub3.

So there is a list of devices on the screenshot I showed linked to this router. The router selects which of the two networks are appropriate for each device at the same time. So if I have three different devices running off WiFi and this router, it may automatically select 2.4ghz for 1 device and 5ghz for the other two. Different networks are automatically selected by the router for 3 devices running at the same time. Without my having to manually change the settings on the router.

In the case of the security camera, which only runs off 2.4 ghz, the router will therefore automatically send 2.4 ghz signals to that linked camera device. But if the router also "sees" that the internet I have is better served by running off the 5 ghz network, it will automatically adjust to that difference for that specific device. At the same time.

So through the automatic router settings, you can simultaneously and individually have the camera linked to 2.4 ghz and the internet linked to 5 ghz. With no interventions necessary.

Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

on ‎05-12-201813:49

Basically yes. I find that one problem with 2.4GHz only devices is that they seem to get "confused" (my interpretation) by seeing another network with the same SSID (as the 5GHz network has) and drop out a lot. Others can say whether this is kosher or tosh - but the evidence is that if you rename the SSID's (like I gave instructions for) then they seem to be more stable and work better. So its the first thing to try. If the 2.4 device still wont connect properly, then there are other things to try - but lets walk before we try running.

Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

It is always the wireless client that initiates a wireless connection and chooses which band to connect to nothing to do with the Hub or any router.

The Hub has two wireless radios. one for the 2.4Ghz band and one for the 5GHz band.The 2.4GHz radio broadcasts on a frequency between 2.402 to 2.483 GHz split into 13 overlapping channels (In the UK)The 5GHz radio broadcasts on a frequency between 5.150 GHz to 5.724 split into 19 non overlapping channels albeit most of the channels are restricted by regulation.

Both radios transmit at the same time.The two networks are bridged together at the Hub along with Ethernet connected devices to form one network that connects to the Internet

The radios will transmit a beacon periodically (around 100ms) advertising it's presence and containing a timestamp (for synchronisation) and other technical info like the SSID

A client when switched on will look for a network to connect to and will listen out for the beacons.When hearing a beacon a client will send an authentication request to the wireless networks (and other Access Points in range) asking for some basic technical info.The Hub (and other APs) will respond with an authentication response.The client will choose which AP it wants to connect to depending on the authentication responses and send out an association request to the wireless network it wants to connect to.The wireless network will check the compatibility of the client and if compatible will send an association response to the client.Once receiving the association response the client and Hub will secure the connection via the four way handshake and communication can begin.I would bear in mind that a wireless client can be authenticated to many APs but only be associated and communicate to one AP at a time

Note a 2.4GHz client will not see beacons from 5GHZ beacons, so will not be aware of their presence, so 2.4GHz only clients will connect to the 2.4 GHz networks

Many wireless clients (not all) have wireless roaming capabilities.This is where a wireless client can automatically connect to another network on the fly if the current wireless signal is poor and it senses another AP with a stronger signal depending on the client's wireless roaming settings.

e.g. if you have a dual band router that works on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks and it is currently connected to the 5GHz network. If the 4GHz signal degrades so the connection becomes very slow, the client can switch to the Hub's 2.4GHz network if the 2.4 GHz signal is stronger. If the SSIDs of the two networks are the same and you are using the same security credentials, the handover should be seamless.

Wireless Band Steering is starting to come commonplace. This is where a Router can steer a wireless client towards the wider 5GHz band by denying it access to the 2.4GHz network.

It is worth noting that the 2.4 GHz band is narrow and can be prone to interference, hampering wireless reception.

Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

e.g. if you have a dual band router that works on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks and it is currently connected to the 5GHz network. If the 4GHz signal degrades so the connection becomes very slow, the client can switch to the Hub's 2.4GHz network if the 2.4 GHz signal is stronger. If the SSIDs of the two networks are the same and you are using the same security credentials, the handover should be seamless.

Nice overview griffin, thanks for that. What factors do you think are in play when after renaming the SSID's of the 2 channels helps solve many (albeit not all) problems in devices stably connecting to the net?

Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

on ‎06-12-201815:26

It is all in the instructions I posted earlier. Once again.... on the page you show click "Disable Channel Optimisation " and apply changes. Then go to the security page........ advanced>wireless>security, rename the 2.4 & 5 GHz network ssid's. Just change 'em to whatever you like and something that will differentiate them (e.g - xxxxx2 & xxxxx5) -- use the same password if you like, Then, apply changes and restart the Hub.

Re: How to switch my router to 2.4ghz home wi fi network

‎06-12-201817:42 - edited ‎06-12-201817:45

Will try. I looked on a YouTube video and apparently the hub3 can return a message, when you finish making changes and press the finish button, that it is not possible to finish. Because the service is still being used, when it is not. The video proposes that I either wait 20 minutes and try again (by which time the system assumes I have finished any changes). Or I use the reset button to resolve this problem.